‘Sharp Objects’ Premiere Viewership Up From ‘Big Little Lies’ Debut

HBO’s high-profile new drama series Sharp Objects debuted to 1.5 million viewers (at 9 PM on Sunday. That was up 36% from the debut of HBO’s Emmy-winning Big Little Lies — a series Sharp Objects has been often compared to — and was the most watched HBO new series premiere since Westworld in 2016 (2.0 million)

With one linear replay and preliminary viewing on HBO GO/NOW, the Sharp Objects premiere night viewership went up to 2.1 million.

Like the Nicole Kidman-Reese Withersoon starrer Big Little Lies, whose audience grew throughout its run, Sharp Objects is headlined by a movie star, Amy Adams, tackles difficult subjects and is directed/executive produced by Jean-Marc Vallée.

The eight-episode drama series, an adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s novel by Marti Noxon, centers on Camille Preaker (Adams), a reporter who returns to her small hometown to cover the murder of a preteen girl and the disappearance of another. Trying to put together a psychological puzzle from her past, she finds herself identifying with the young victims a bit too closely. Based on the first episode, it’s clear she isn’t the typical heroine. She’s flawed, and as the story unfolds, the audience attempts to piece together a tragic past that is affecting her present.

Like with all HBO series, Live+same day linear numbers for Sharp Objects are expected to be a fraction of the show’s total viewership, the lion share of which is expected to come from digital platforms.